A 43‑year‑old Swiss man was seized by police after a shooting that killed a 22‑year‑old Italian woman, Maria Spinelli, at a techno rave held at the Schachen horse‑racing track in Aarau.
The gunfire started around 02:30 on Sunday and forced the event to halt. The victim died on the spot while four men and a woman were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe.
A nearly 24‑hour manhunt followed. Swiss cantonal police announced that they had apprehended the suspect shortly before 01:00 local time on Monday. Authorities say the perpetrator acted alone, though the exact sequence of events and motive are still under investigation.
The rave had been expected to draw around 3,500 people while Aarau’s population is just 23,000. Its proximity to the German border placed additional security resources on standby.
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged Swiss authorities to shed light on the incident.
- Italy’s foreign ministry dispatched officials to Zurich to monitor the inquiry.
- Switzerland’s high gun‑ownership rate contrasts with the rarity of violent shootings, with the last major event in 2001 when 14 officials were killed.
The swift arrest marks a decisive step in the investigation, as earlier on Sunday police had no leads and were uncertain if the shooting involved a single individual or multiple attackers.
